The Importance of Searching and Googling Your Name

Frankie • December 27, 2019

Nowadays, just about everybody can look for information online. Imagine googling your name and seeing tons of relevant results. It’s a bit disheartening to see one name having a criminal record, and you might be mistaken for that particular person. 

For this reason, it’s crucial to search yourself to see what you’ll find online, whether you’re a student applying to school, a job-seeker, a C-Level executive, or a retiree. Keep on reading to learn more about the importance of searching and googling your name online.

Facts and figures on searching names

As mentioned, most people love to search for information online. Whether you like it or not, people may even look for your name online to learn more about you. For instance, your name will be looked up either for informal searches or for contracted third-party background checks. Take a look at the facts and figures regarding online name searching:

  • One billion names are googled every day. 

  • Only 50 per cent of people own their first result - which is the most important. 

  • About 1 in 4 people have no positive content at all on the first page for their Google name search. 

  • Fifteen per cent of people have at least one negative result on the first page that damages their reputation. 

The statistics above say enough about why you need to google your name and to determine whether or not there’s any negative implication. Ultimately, your personal reputation matters, especially if people search for your name online!

The importance of searching your name online

Online presence is powerful, both on a personal and business level. On a more personal note, your online presence may impact your application, job, career, business engagements, relationships, and life in general. Let’s further take a look at specific statistics regarding this perspective.

  • Seventy per cent of college admissions officers consider students’ online presence “fair game” when evaluating applicants.

  • An estimated 90 per cent of executive recruiters search for candidates online before extending an offer.

  • Seventy per cent of employers use social media to screen candidates.

  • Among those who use online dating sites, over 34 per cent go online to check up on their dates.

  • More than 16 per cent of all internet users have looked online for more information about someone they were dating or in a relationship with.

The impact of a negative online reputation

Now that you’ve learned the importance of your online presence, you should be wary of the impact that you will receive due to a negative online reputation. There are different categories that you don’t want your name to be associated with and below are some common types of negative results that can damage your name online:

  • Recreational drug use

  • Alcohol use or alcohol abuse

  • Sexually explicit, nude or sexually suggestive content

  • Unprofessional language and communication skills

  • Unethical behaviour

  • Criminal behaviour

  • Bullying, violent or aggressive behaviour

  • Polarising views

  • Bigoted behaviour

Taking control of your google results

Knowing your online presence is one thing, and doing what it takes to manage your online presence is another. The best way to take control of your Google results is to google it first and know how to proceed. For your guide and reference, here are the basic steps to manage your online reputation:

  • Scan and audit search results.

  • Remove all negative or irrelevant content.

  • Build an informative, professional, and engaging online presence for yourself.

  • Cultivate and interact with your online audience and communities.

At this point, you now realise the importance of guarding your online presence. Along with this is the need for online reputation management. Consider the valuable steps outlined above to ensure that you know where you stand and what you need to do to manage your online reputation.

If you are looking for online reputation management services, get in touch with us today! We’re happy to help.

How to Remove Negative Content from Google Search (Step-by-Step Guide)

By Frankie Lee • August 18, 2025
Introduction: Why Google Results Control Your Reputation When people want to learn about you or your business, they don’t ask you directly — they Google you. A single search result can mean the difference between: Winning or losing a client. Closing or missing an investment deal. Being trusted or being doubted. In today’s world, Google is your first impression. And when negative content shows up — whether it’s a bad review, a defamatory article, or an embarrassing old post — it can feel like your reputation is being hijacked. That’s why millions of people search for terms like “remove content from Google” or “delete Google results.” The problem? Google doesn’t make it easy. This guide gives you a step-by-step framework to understand your options, protect your name, and take back control. Step 1: Understand What Google Can (and Can’t) Do Before learning how to remove Google search results, it’s crucial to understand how Google works. Google doesn’t own the content: It simply indexes web pages published on other sites. Two main strategies exist: Remove at the source (delete the content where it was published). Remove from Google’s index (de-index it so it won’t show in search results). 👉 If the content is deleted at the source, Google will automatically update. But if it remains live, you’ll need to request a removal from Google (which only applies in specific cases). Step 2: Identify the Type of Negative Content Different types of harmful results require different strategies. Let’s break them down: 1. Defamation False statements that harm your personal or business reputation. Example: A blogger writes that you scammed clients without evidence. 2. Copyright Infringement Someone stole your images, text, or videos. Example: A competitor copies your website and publishes it. 3. Personal Information Exposure Doxxing, revenge porn, or exposure of addresses, phone numbers, bank accounts. Example: A forum publishes your private details. 4. Fake Reviews or Complaints Competitors or anonymous attackers leave fake reviews. Example: 1-star Google Business reviews from accounts that never used your service. 5. Negative Press or News Coverage News articles, blogs, or opinion pieces that damage your reputation. Example: An old article resurfaces about a legal dispute, even after it’s resolved. Step 3: Attempt Removal at the Source (Most Effective) The gold standard is to delete the content where it lives. How to Remove at the Source: Find contact information: Look for a “Contact Us” page. Use WHOIS lookup if the owner is private. Request removal politely: Be professional and clear. Explain why it should be removed (e.g., false, outdated, violating rights). Escalate legally if needed: Send a legal demand letter. File a DMCA takedown for copyright. Engage an attorney if it’s defamatory. 💡 Pro Tip: When content is deleted at the source, it’s the fastest and cleanest solution. Google will automatically remove it when it re-crawls the site. Step 4: File a Removal Request with Google If source removal isn’t possible, your next option is Google’s own removal tools. Google Offers Removals For: Outdated Content Tool: If the page is deleted but still shows in search. Legal Removal Requests: For defamation (in certain jurisdictions), copyright, and sensitive personal info. Revenge Porn & Explicit Imagery: Google prioritizes urgent takedowns for non-consensual media. Financial or ID Information: Bank details, ID numbers, or hacked data. 👉 Submit requests via Google’s Content Removal page . Be aware: Google will not remove content simply because it is negative. It must violate a policy or law. Step 5: Suppress Results When Removal Isn’t Possible Some content simply cannot be removed — for example, accurate news articles or protected opinions. In those cases, the strategy shifts to suppression. What Suppression Means: Suppression = pushing negative results off page one by ranking positive, optimized content above them. Suppression Tactics: SEO for owned assets: Optimize your website, blog, and social media profiles. Content creation: Publish articles, press releases, interviews, YouTube videos, podcasts. High-authority platforms: Build LinkedIn, Crunchbase, Medium, Quora, and other strong profiles. PR & media coverage: Secure features that rank in Google News and top publications. Since over 90% of users never click past page one, pushing harmful content to page two makes it practically invisible. Step 6: Ongoing Monitoring and Protection Reputation management is not a one-time fix. New threats can appear anytime. How to Stay Protected: Set Google Alerts for your name or brand. Track reviews across Google, Trustpilot, SiteJabber, etc. Use professional monitoring services to get alerts and immediate takedown action. At ContentRemoval.com, we provide continuous monitoring and monthly removal services so you’re never blindsided by sudden attacks. Step 7: When to Hire a Professional Some removals are straightforward. Others — like fighting with major news publishers, suppressing viral Reddit threads, or negotiating with review platforms — require expert intervention. Professional content removal experts can: Navigate Google’s complex policies. File successful DMCA, defamation, and privacy removals. Negotiate directly with publishers. Combine legal, SEO, and PR strategies into one solution. If your reputation, business revenue, or peace of mind is at stake, hiring a professional is the fastest, most reliable way to protect yourself. Case Studies (Proof Section) Case Study 1: Entrepreneur Attacked Online Problem: 42 defamatory blog posts damaging credibility. Solution: ContentRemoval.com secured takedowns on 31 and suppressed the rest. Result: Entrepreneur rebuilt reputation and closed $3M funding round. Case Study 2: CEO with Negative Press Problem: Old news coverage ranking on page one. Solution: 90-day SEO + PR campaign. Result: Positive stories ranked, pushing the negative to page three. Case Study 3: Company Flooded with Fake Reviews Problem: Competitor attack using fake Google reviews. Solution: Removal requests + review platform escalation. Result: 85% of fake reviews deleted, average rating restored. Conclusion: Taking Back Control Your online reputation is one of your most valuable assets. Negative Google search results don’t have to define you. Best case: Remove content at the source. Next best: File a removal request with Google. If all else fails: Suppress the results with SEO and content. 👉 The longer harmful results stay online, the more damage they cause. That’s why ContentRemoval.com exists: to help people like you remove, suppress, and protect their online reputation with proven strategies.
Reputation Management Australia

Online Reputation Management - Your Customer Said What About Your Business?

By Frankie Lee • March 7, 2021
If you own a business in today's modern world, you know that it's no longer a question of whether you have an online presence or not. It's now a matter of what that online presence is. You need to know how people perceive your brand and whether that perception matches the one you want established. It's not wise to just let things fall where they may when your online reputation is involved. Businesses can't just let other people determine what their brand is, they should be the one on top of it controlling the narrative.